Grey Water tank regulations

[Crusty181]

Theres no requirement for any form of authority or permit to use grey water outside you house, i.e. in the garden etc. In fact its actually encouraged by all levels of local, state and federal government environment depts and agencies. The only requirement to get big brother involved is if you want to treat or re-use the grey water i.e. for washing machine, toilets etc.

With what is a common recurring problem, morons and simple folk make what shouldn't be a problem; a problem for everyone. I suspect the problem arises when a string of idiots camp in the same spot and leave a pool of soggy ground complete with coco pops and noodles ... and drive off oblivious to the next person, or council dude who has to deal with it.

In the absence of any local bylaws, I suppose an bucket with some type of crude (or elaborate) strainer would solve everyones problem. Take your coco pops and noodles with you, and carry the bucket to a suitable spot away from the main camping area, where it can can benefit the flora, and not impact on the camping area.

Pretty simple really ....

 

[Dobbie]

Agree it's pretty simple if combined with common sense.

As with all who are used to recycling grey water at home, we move it quickly to lawns and gardens but are very careful to use low phosphate washing powders and never had a problem with damage to vegetation. It thrives,

We use the same powders etc when camping as it's what we have on hand.

Thanks to all of you for your replies. I'm now happy that we can camp near restrictive signs, shove our beautiful receptacle ( with appropriate sign on the side) under the outlets and avoid being moved on unnecessarily.

And no extra weight to the van.

 

[peterg]

I filter our grey water through a stocking sock to catch the scraps. So water to the ground scraps to the bin.

 

[Drover]

................as Crusty said Pretty Simple Really, it's just that the simple people can't do simple......................

 

[Dean Anderson]

The first to complain about your grey water will be someone in a tent that uses a shower in a collapsible ensuite. For some reason if you shower outside in a more primitive manner grey water is not a problem.

As for doing number twos in the bush. It's a matter of principle.............cows and kangaroos can do it on the ground..........number ones are okay as long as no one sees you (unless you want to risk being fined for indecent exposure)...humans should do number twos buried at least 20cm deep (after the hole is filled).....girls should collect their toilet paper and not let it blow all over the place (or try shaking real hard and drip dry just like the guys do).............dogs should have their masters clean up after them and dispose of in the human hole. I've never stood in a human poop but dog poop yes..........not sure which smells worse.........

 

[achjimmy]

@Dobbie there was a long debate on the caravanners forum (is there any other kind on there?) iirc somebody was at a campsite in SA and the rules on grey tanks their made it clear they need to be self contained not portable! I am with the majority here it's a wank but intend to do something to be seen to be complying. Good luck.

 

[Dean Anderson]

Self contained I assume being so you can't say you forgot to switch it over or forgot to put the portable in place. So a 35 lt Grey water tank that is connected to the van, and you then drain this to a portable so you can stay at camp longer. Or it has a slow leak under the middle of your van at night time? Might convert my pole carrier, don't really use it anyway (its behind the rear wheels).Easy to unscrew the ends to clean out the bits and pieces.

 

[Dobbie]

Thanks. We did consider using a pole carrier type but didn't want to add weight.

I must admit I ignored the caravanners forum "debate" as it got nowhere that I could find. In fact, this is the only forum I look at.

We'll probably stick with our portable monstrosity and, if necessary, move on if the smell / disposal police don't like it. We're very confident that our waste water habits won't upset fellow travellers but would hate to be reported by a wicked type camper who dumps anywhere and everywhere, including noodles and paddle pop sticks. Kids hair ties are on the increase too.

It never ceases to amaze me that some of the huge motor homes and very expensive van setups are the culprits....spend $200,000 on a rig so you can be a pig.

One place we stopped ( a free council camp) we were surrounded by motor homes...6 of them ...one of which hooked his power to the outlet next to the tank toilet and they then piggy backed the power from one the other.
Before they left they emptied the water tank so no toilets worked and they'd tripped the power anyway.

My point is that it's indicative of an attitude of abuse and to hell with anyone else.

Council have now closed down the site.

End of my morning grumble!

 

[Drover]

In a nutshell @Dobbie , really gets me going mostly the holier than though brigade.

Camped the last few days and it runs out on the ground and I don't care, just move it around a bit but will have some mowing to do when I get back home I suppose..............lol,lol. One of the joys of camping in your own paddock.

 

[Bushman]

@Dobbie there was a long debate on the caravanners forum (is there any other kind on there?) iirc somebody was at a campsite in SA and the rules on grey tanks their made it clear they need to be self contained not portable! I am with the majority here it's a wank but intend to do something to be seen to be complying. Good luck.

My eyes glaze over when I read some of the extended dribble on that "other forum" hence why I usually just don't bother, I'll soon think about doing something , thinking 25 litre bucket with lid from the Big Green Shed and fitting connection to the lid, at least I'll look like I'm making the effort, most of my free stops have only been overnight so should be OK.

 

[Bushman]

On another note re the "Grey Water thing, more of a tip than anything. whenever you've run your "grey water" on the ground/garden either in a park (under management instruction) or in the bush/free camp have you noticed the little pile of crap (food scrapes) that comes with it, I've always cleaned up my little pile of mess (yuk). Well if you wipe your plate/pots etc. with paper towel or similar this can then be disposed of with the rubbish or burned in the camp fire if you have one, this saves your tank water if free camping by not having to rinse before washing, helps stop your pipes getting smelly crappy and wont attract vermin and wildlife that might like to feed on the scrapes at the end of the pipe.

 

[Drover]

Exactly @ Bushman and after the first time you have to clear the blocked pipe under the van and cop a shirt full, you most certainly appreciate the scraping of plates ( or teach your kids to lick them clean ).............Being the maintainer of our drains and septic at home it is mandatory at "The Drovers Rest" as well as on road...................................

 

[Dobbie]

Hey Bushman!

Do you want the detailed drawings for my recycled water receptacle? I can do a cad drawing with all specs and measurements and then we can patent it. Maybe there's a business opportunity hiring them out?

As we never wash up in the sink...we always cook, eat and wash up outside as we can't adjust to living inside (sad isn't it)......we collect anything non liquid with the paper towel method so our grey water shouldn't be too manky. Maybe I'll add a small piece of shade cloth to my bottle for extra security.

The sink is a great place for storage....I guess we've never used it for washing up. At least it saves on pipe cleaning.

 

[Dobbie]

We now have a clever black filtered inlet spout for our beautiful grey water container.

A $2 filter from Supercheap.

Fits perfectly and will stop any gloopy bits going into the tank.

 

[Drover]

We now have a clever black filtered inlet spout for our beautiful grey water container.

A $2 filter from Supercheap.

Fits perfectly and will stop any gloopy bits going into the tank.

Are you sure ???????...................pic didn't come up on my screen..???????

 

[Dobbie]

In ya dreams!

 

[Dobbie]

Will try for a photo sometime when I can figure out how to easily to get a photo from my phone to iPad.

Too busy getting my stylishly designed grey water solution patented.

 

[Wanda]

I learn something new from this forum all the time! I hate the idea of scraps of food going down the drain and out onto the ground, just disgusting. I scrape ours into our rubbish bag but am only partially successful. So from now on I will do like my mum used to do, take an old news paper, use a paper towel to wipe the scraps from the plates onto the newspaper sheets, wrap it and bin it (or burn it) :thumb:

 

[chartrock]

Mrs CR uses paper towels for wiping all plates, pots and pans before any washing up. Reasons are as above, food scraps ending up where they shouldn't. :nono:

 

[Crusty181]

Mrs CR uses paper towels for wiping all plates, pots and pans before any washing up. Reasons are as above, food scraps ending up where they shouldn't. :nono:

Should that read "we" use paper towels ........ :brick: